Buying a used car is can be tricky sometimes because you have no idea where the car has been in the past.  Since there are so many tools out there that potentially show you, it’s always hard to determine which report is accurate and which report is just filled with garbage.  A car history report is usually the best way to go when you’re looking to get more information on a used car in the past.  Here’s what you’ll get on a car history report –

How many owners?  – You can find out how many owners have owned this car.  This is great to see where it has been.  It will show you exactly where the car was sold (state wise) and the owner’s name.  If it’s been through a lot of owners, this may raise some red flags.

VIN accident check – You’ll get access to a report of all the accidents that the car have been in.  This is directly from the police departments themselves.  Whenever an accident happens, a police station will have to report the VIN.  The only downfall to this is that if the owner never reports an accident, it won’t show up on the report.

Mileage check – A big scam among used cars salespeople is to rollback the odometer.  While this is sometimes to keep track of, a car history report will show mileage reports.  Mileage reports are usually generated from oil change services, dealerships, and other institutions that deal with automotive related services.

Accurate VIN report – If you have the VIN (vehicle identification number) handy, this will help you with your reports.  With a car history report, you’ll be able to get a very accurate report that shows you what the VIN entails.  You’ll get the make, model, the year it was made, and other details.

Lemon Law – The nice thing about a car history report is that you’re able to see if the car has been returned in the past because of the lemon law.  If you’re unfamiliar with the lemon law, the lemon law refers to particular states that protect the consumer against malfunction vehicles.

A car history report is highly recommended for those looking into purchasing a used car.  Car reports usually are fairly inexpensive and range anywhere from a few bucks to as much as twenty dollars and up.  It all depends on what kind of report you want to get.